NCL excursions for Rome???

[CruizinKittie40]

I feel like I'm going crazy.  I booked my European cruise a few months back for October 27 from Rome because of a really good price.  I looked around a bit on the website when I booked and saw excursions in Rome where you could go to the Colosseum and the Vatican.  I didn't want to get my hopes up about really going because of COVID and other family matters.  Now it looks like we might *actually* get to go!  I read on here the other day about getting an early flight through NCL and thought about going a day or two early to see Rome.  Now I can't find those excursions for the trip!!!  I googled NCL Rome excursions and found excursions for that port but not for Rome itself.  I know it's a long shot but I thought I would ask and see if anyone knew if maybe Rome is banning tourists? or is this just an NCL thing? 

[TrumpyNor]

38 minutes ago, CruizinKittie40 said:

I feel like I'm going crazy.  I booked my European cruise a few months back for October 27 from Rome because of a really good price.  I looked around a bit on the website when I booked and saw excursions in Rome where you could go to the Colosseum and the Vatican.  I didn't want to get my hopes up about really going because of COVID and other family matters.  Now it looks like we might *actually* get to go!  I read on here the other day about getting an early flight through NCL and thought about going a day or two early to see Rome.  Now I can't find those excursions for the trip!!!  I googled NCL Rome excursions and found excursions for that port but not for Rome itself.  I know it's a long shot but I thought I would ask and see if anyone knew if maybe Rome is banning tourists? or is this just an NCL thing? 

Are you asking if NCL organizes excursions outside of their "port days" then the answer is NO. Eg. for Rome they only offer shore excursions if Rome is one of the ports "mid-cruise". They only offer excursions in the ports they visit, and that may include some excursions that ends at the airport on the last day of the cruise. But for regular excursions outside your cruise, you just have to book private tours yourself.... 

Edited July 2, 2021 by TrumpyNor

[TSUmom]

If you are planning on being there pre cruise a few days look into private tours.  We used those while in Rome.  You can find some great ones.  Do a bit of research on some travel forums and also here under Ports of call. 

[Hadacareer]

2 hours ago, CruizinKittie40 said:

I feel like I'm going crazy.  I booked my European cruise a few months back for October 27 from Rome because of a really good price.  I looked around a bit on the website when I booked and saw excursions in Rome where you could go to the Colosseum and the Vatican.  I didn't want to get my hopes up about really going because of COVID and other family matters.  Now it looks like we might *actually* get to go!  I read on here the other day about getting an early flight through NCL and thought about going a day or two early to see Rome.  Now I can't find those excursions for the trip!!!  I googled NCL Rome excursions and found excursions for that port but not for Rome itself.  I know it's a long shot but I thought I would ask and see if anyone knew if maybe Rome is banning tourists? or is this just an NCL thing? 

There are so many tour groups that do great tours in Rome. Some pick you up at the hotel some you have a meeting spot..try viatour Google skip the lines Rome also and also there is a great golf cart tours too

[warburg]

Greeting from South Beach, Everyone.  For obvious reasons, ships do not have excursions for arriving passengers. If there are things of note to see on the way, you may be told about them. In this case,  you are going to Civitavecchia, the Port of Rome. It takes about 40 minutes in the express lane, under ideal circumstances to arrive at the ship. However, the chances an excursion bus will hit the ideal are remote If you can arrive in Rome and spend a couple of full days, that is the better way.  Prebook whatever possible. Beware of pickpockets. They are everywhere. If you see a sign, Beware of Pickpockets, DO NOT pat where your valuables are. People standing around may be in the business and you are next.

Mary

 

 

 

[CruizinKittie40]

2 hours ago, TrumpyNor said:

Are you asking if NCL organizes excursions outside of their "port days" then the answer is NO. Eg. for Rome they only offer shore excursions if Rome is one of the ports "mid-cruise". They only offer excursions in the ports they visit, and that may include some excursions that ends at the airport on the last day of the cruise. But for regular excursions outside your cruise, you just have to book private tours yourself.... 

Thanks I called and they told me they don't do pre cruise excursions.  I must have searched for excursions and found the Rome excursions that way when I originally found them. 

[CruizinKittie40]

1 minute ago, warburg said:

Greeting from South Beach, Everyone.  For obvious reasons, ships do not have excursions for arriving passengers. If there are things of note to see on the way, you may be told about them. In this case,  you are going to Civitavecchia, the Port of Rome. It takes about 40 minutes in the express lane, under ideal circumstances to arrive at the ship. However, the chances an excursion bus will hit the ideal are remote If you can arrive in Rome and spend a couple of full days, that is the better way.  Prebook whatever possible. Beware of pickpockets. They are everywhere. If you see a sign, Beware of Pickpockets, DO NOT pat where your valuables are. People standing around may be in the business and you are next.

Mary

 

 

 

that is extremely helpful, thank you!
 

[nolatravelgirl]

Check out https://www.romeinlimo.com/

They do great day tours. I did a review of them for my 2015 Med cruise that is linked in my signature. 

[TSUmom]

1 minute ago, nolatravelgirl said:

Check out https://www.romeinlimo.com/

They do great day tours. I did a review of them for my 2015 Med cruise that is linked in my signature. 

We used them also.  Was not sure if I could post companies.  

[Luvsparties]

When in Rome in 2016 we used Dark Rome for tours of the Colosseum and Vatican.  We loved them.  We will be in Rome a couple days before and after our cruise in October and will probably use them again.

 

[SpainAlien]

I too would recommend Rome in limo  they were great, we got to see so much more than you see on a cruise bus tour

[Sue Do-Over]

We have used Rome In Limo for both port-day and pre-cruise excursions with much success.

 

Port day:  Booked a van for 8, and posted the 4 'extra' seats on our Roll Call.  Noted that we were NOT spending time shopping or dining, but packing in as many sites as possible.  Everyone pre-purchased Coliseum tix online, and paid their own cash to the driver at the end of the day.  We had made plans with RiL ahead of time to drop 3 of our group at the Vatican museum, and then take the rest of us to another couple of nearby sites.  We reunited at St. Peters Square, and watched the organized pickpocket teams while waiting for the 3 to come out through the chapel.  Went from there to the Coliseum, where our driver hustled us past all the pickpockets (seriously, we saw two teens shoulder deep in women's bags), and to front of the line where we were waved in immediately.  The driver slipped a small bill to the guy collecting tickets.   Zipped around several more sites before driving back to the ship.  The RiL drivers are not licenced tour guides, so didn't go in to the Coliseum with us.  He instead gave us a cell phone with his number among just a few in the contact list, and we rang him as came out, and he'd be at the curb in moments.  They don't normally let you split up the group like this at the last minute, because there is a preferred route through town... we jumbled their usual plan, and made sure to tip the driver extra for the special treatment, and note it in your booking.

 

Pre-cruise:  RiL picked the 4 of us up at the airport in a 8-seat van, and loaded up our luggage.  Different travelling companions, so we went to the Coliseum and St. Peters again, but no museum.  I swear some of the same pickpockets were working the crowd!  A few more sites, and then we were delivered to our AirBnB (in a mixed use hotel) in time for dinner.

The next day, the same driver picked us up in a luxury car - cozy for 4 but still comfortable - for a drive down the Amalfi coast to Pompeii.  We stopped in a couple of pretty towns for lunch and ice cream and photos, and at a couple of scenic overlooks.

Booking both days with the same agency ensured we had the same driver, and got a big discount.

 

Comparison:  the cruise line Rome-in-a-day hardly let you off the bus.  Definitely don't allow a couple of hours for the Vatican or Coliseum... read carefully... if it says 'view the Coliseum', they'll stop the bus so that people on the right can take photos, and then turn around at the roundabout so that the people on the left can take theirs.  NOT worth the money!

[Turtles06]

Rome is very do-able on your own.  In fact, the Centro Storico is quite walkable (if you don't have mobility issues, obviously).   In any event, the Ports of Call/Italy forum here on CC is a great place to get info about Rome, including recommendations for private tour operators and hotels.   (Romeinlimo.com has a justifiably good reputation.  We used them years ago to tour Rome from a port call in Civitavecchia.)

 

 https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/464-italy-ports/ 

[DakotaDisneyLover]

We did this cruise in May 2019.  Definitely get to Rome a couple of days early to see Rome.  I did lots of research on my own.  Our Roll Call was active, and we shared transportation and excursions with people in the group.  The cruise was wonderful!  All of our transportation on excursions at ports was in vans - I do not recommend the big tour buses.